Bad boats

[mstern]

I've read lots of posts here describing how wonderful/beautiful/perfect our boats are. But we didn't luck into our perfect boats; we had to gain some experience along the way. Anyone out there ever buy a boat that you thought would be great for you, but just turned out plain wrong?

[arbarnhart]

For the "COPS" fans...

"Bad boats, bad boats. What ya gonna do? What you gonna do when they come for you?"

I think there are more bad deals that people talk themselves into than bad boats. Like you said "thought would be great for you, but". Until a boat is just about to fall apart, there is probably a good use and fair price for it. But when you pay too much expectng another use, well...

[TSteele65]

There's a story somewhere online about a local guy (Chesapeake) who bought a derelict Pearson and ended up spending twice what he would have on a perfect used model. I'll see if I can find it.

EDIT: can't find the one on the Pearson, but here's a guy who did all his own work restoring a Morgan:

http://www.myholeinthewater.com/index.html

[sailingdog]

There's also CP's recent post about a couple that bought a Jeanneau in lousy shape and spent a fortune re-fitting it...and tried to sue him, even though he had clearly told them he would advise not buying the boat...

[cardiacpaul]

umm, wasn't a jeanneau, but I'm not saying what it is

[TSteele65]

Originally Posted by cardiacpaul

umm, wasn't a jeanneau, but I'm not saying what it is

Read the story - that's outrageous. Why bother hiring a surveyor if you're going to ignore his findings? I don't get that.

It would be one thing if the surveyor points out some deficiencies and recommends some fixes, but if the guy is saying flat-out "don't buy this boat, you'll be sorry", I'm off that boat in a hurry.

[camaraderie]

Then there were some friends of mine who bought a new...semi custom boat and spent the next 3 years with lawyers and courts when the mfr. would not stand behind GROSS and serious defects which made the boat unseaworthy.

...and lets not forget the current Tartan "00" series thread and attendant descriptions of problems.

[Jeff_H]

Over the years I certainly have been involved with a whole bunch of folks who either bought the wrong boat for their needs and skills or else bought a really bad boat. I've mentioned many of these in various discussions. Most of the good boats, bad choice were resold quickly, often at a loss, many of the bad boats went derelict or went to the landfill.

The ones that always fascinate me were the cases of bad boats that some owner insisted on pouring a fortune and vast amounts of time into only to end up with a poor, but now overly expensive boat. These impending train wrecks are hard to watch and yet its even harder to turn away.

Jeff

[capttb]

Boat next to me is a genuine "Jonah", it's a 27 ft. center consol by a very high end builder that starts with an L and ryhmes with Lures. Two large V8 gas engines that have been replaced twice with less than 400 hrs., transmissions also. I noticed it was sitting low and listing one day, open a rear hatch, OH! OH!, opened the cabin, cushions are floating. All electrical is off, I start flipping switchs till I get power and a bilge pump running. Power on the inverter and get another pump running, water going down. Called the owner, boat has 4 bilge pumps cause the hull is all divided up by stringers that don't connect. The main wiring harness is in the bottom of the hull alongside a stringer. The leak was from the packing on one of the shafts, helped the owner locate it, seems they can't ever get a good seal 'cause it still leaks too much. Boat has an incredibly high book value but you couldn't pay me to take it.
Latest owner is #4, it's a 5 year old boat.

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by arbarnhart

For the "COPS" fans...

"Bad boats, bad boats. What ya gonna do? What you gonna do when they sink on you?"

Fixed. Or "roll on you", I suppose.